When Oregon State linebackers coach Trent Bray visited Kyle Haley at Golden West Community College in Huntington Beach, Calif. in May, Bray had an interesting proposition for the Beavers linebacker commitment.

There was a chance, Bray laid out, OSU would have room to sign Haley in time for him to join the Beavers for fall camp, rather than waiting for him to enroll in January as part of the 2015 recruiting class.

"Wait, what?" Haley remembers thinking, never really considering the possibility he could join a team for the 2014 season. "I had no idea there'd be an opening for me to come. I just told (Bray), 'If there's any opening, I'm ready to come.'"

That scholarship is indeed available for Haley now, and he's taking it, confirming to The Oregonian Monday evening that he will sign with the Beavers Tuesday and arrive in Corvallis Wednesday.

"I only committed four months ago," said Haley, who got his OSU offer just days before pledging, "and now (Bray is) telling me I can come now. It's been fast, but I know I want to play for Oregon State and I know I made the right decision."

Haley is able to sign with OSU now because he was a full qualifier out of high school. He's already been at the junior college level for two seasons, grayshirting his first year at Golden West to develop following his high school career at Stanton (Calif.) Western.

The possibility for Haley's early arrival, which was first reported by BeaverBlitz.com Monday, first came to light earlier this month, when reports surfaced highly touted junior college signee Kyle Peko's eligibility was again in flux after spending the spring term taking an English course at OSU.

Haley is not necessarily a direct replacement for Peko, however.

Haley found out about two weeks ago that he would be able to sign before fall camp began. Beavers coach Mike Riley, meanwhile, said Thursday at Pac-12 Media Days that he had no update on Peko's status, and eligibility issues can sometimes linger into fall camp.

Haley, who is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, said he expects to play the outside linebacker spot currently occupied by Michael Doctor. Haley's strength is playing in space, as he held a hybrid outside linebacker/strong safety position in Golden West's 4-2-5 defense. In 2013, he tallied 56 tackles (six for loss), four sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries.

"We don't play him in the box that much, but when he's there he's very good at delivering a blow, punching and getting off blocks. He's got good quickness. That helps him not have to deal with the offensive linemen too much."

Haley will spend the next day or so packing up his life and saying goodbye to family members and friends, many who don't yet know he's leaving early for college. He'll arrive in Corvallis — his first visit to Oregon — around 2 p.m. Wednesday and get introduced to campus. He's rooming with fellow linebacker Rommel Mageo until the Beavers move into the dorms at the start of fall camp and will rely on Bray to introduce the new kid to the rest of his teammates.

Haley hopes, of course, to work himself into the linebacker rotation come fall — not an easy task given the talent and experience returning at the Beavers' deepest position group. But most of all, he's simply thrilled to get a jumpstart — or any start — on his Division I career.

"It's a dream come true, honestly, to come from a junior college and sign with a Division I program," he said. "I'm gonna take everything in and realize hard work really does pay off.

"It's all kind of still a shock to me. I think I won't really realize it until I actually get there and I'm practicing. That's when it will hit me, like, 'Wow, I'm here now.'"